Gregor Foamingbeard III
Gregor hails from a unmarked village at the base of the Giants Run Mountains on the southern end of the range near the northwest shores of the Deepwash. It was called the vale by those living there or delvers-vale by the locals who knew of them. The villages was fairly nondescript holding about 180 hardworking dwarves from a few households. Some of the families included Foaminbeard, Deephammers, Coppernose and Steelchin and the Smiths. The Clan was ruled by a council of elders from each family with more than a dozen members and headed by Tiny Coppernose. A Dwarven Defender and experienced miner. Early life and clan history. Gregor grew up in a impoverished household. Though the Foaminbeards ran a well know and respected minting and smelting business {they gained their initial fortune by being the primary source of ore for the below though they never knew till after what their ores was used for as it was carried north into the Myth Drannor. The fortune was long spent and only a small amount remained when Gregor I went afoul of business deals. It is only listed as it is a mark of honor for the family to have taken part in such a crafting generations ago however slight their involvement. 276 DR (Year of the Burnished Blade) The forges of the dwarven Clans Snowsbattle and Honedaxe produce three great gifts in gratitude for their new homes here: the Beljuriled Belt of Battle for the Coronal; the Shield of Briars for the Arms-Major; and the Heralds' Horn for the Spell-Major of the Akh'Faer (which became better known later by its primary wielder's name as The Harking Horn of Ishildé). TSR1165 ---- Gregor I returned to the vale a retired member of a mercenary company. Having reclaimed the Clan Axe from a crypt in the Battle of the Bones he set about retiring. The family was deeply indebted by the actions of his Grandfather, Gregor the I AKA {Gregor of the biting axe} The family fortunes waning Gregor I entered a agreement with a Moon elf known in the area as Quel'layss. A sometimes shady dealer who generally stayed to the gray areas of the law but had aided the dwarves many times ion the past arranging for goods to be traveled thru the Giants run caves to port and from the sea.. Their agreement to finance a group of Harlurla mages to come forth and with their magical aid establish a network of portals to ship ore and goods out of the Delvers-vale to ports for trade, thereby skipping the need for caravan guards, bandits, natural disaster etc. The clan could then for a modest fee see to all the shipping. details are sketchy but none of the mages arrived. their caravan was attacked, guards poisoned, no survivors were found but all indications were to some kind of betrayal. Quel'layss was never found though he was said to be seen boarding a ship to Chult! It is unknown if these rumors are false, he was running, or left to these rumors himself to throw people off his tail. Gregor I would turn somber and spent the remaining fortunes paying restuition to the Mages council of Harlurla as well as to the local family who had helped in financing the venture. His son Gregor II {Gregor of the dripping blade} would leave the hearth seeking fame and fortune in the north with the hereditary blade to join first a mercenary company and later the Corymyrian army, after being discharged with honors. He returned home with enough coin to set the family finances right for his sons. Gregors early life really took a turn when his father Gregor the II returned. Gregor II brought with him a adopted son named Timory, a human child Gregor II rescued from a caravan be sieged by bandits. The child was the only survivor of the attack on a family wagon besieged in Tilverton. Never able to locate the boys relatives or any who would claim him as his family was burned beyond recognition. Gregor II adopted the boy and set to bring him back home. The High Mage of Cormyr arranged for Gregor to receive a large dispensation to see to the boys care for reasons unknown other than he was impressed with the generosity of Gregor II and his plans to return home far to the south. It was suggested that more danger might be after Timory since the bandits seemed to be taking matters personal and that he would be safer to the south. Also unknown is why Vanderghast would have been aware of such a trivial matter. Shortly after Gregor II returned Gregor the I passed on from old age. Old even for a dwarf it was said that once he knew his debts were payed it was time to meet his god and sink or swim in all the blood he spilled in his youth. though living a pauper life he did indeed return his families honor by raising his son and grandson and paying all debts accrued to family and clan. He died 1 day after making the last payment to Harlurla. During the time his father was in the north Gregor the III {character} took work in the church of the forge. Using his knowledge of the smithy to see to the daily upkeep and stoke the fires the priests of Mordain used Gregor III had his first exposure to the clergy. learning much of dwarven faith from the priests sermons he felt a calling but was never really completed by the teachings of Mordain. He certainly understood them and was quick to kill with the smiths hammer and though he appreciated much of what they said,he knew we would not make a good priest of the soul forger as he lacked the patience needed. After his father returned home with Timory Gregor spent a few years taking care of his adopted brother now in his early teens they grew close. Gregory spent much time going over the lessons he learned in the church of mordain with Timory and they both spent their evenings around the fire with Gregory II hearing tales of being a adventurer in the north and facing against Zhents, the cult of the dragon and service to King Azoun IV during a particularly brutal battle. It was said the purple dragon took a nasty Orc spear to the gut and was laid low for a bit. Gregor II planted feet on either side of the King and built a circle wall around them of headless Orc bodies before the war wizards pulled the king to the royal healers. The king was traveling incognito at the time. Gregor II actually remembers little of the events though he was told later he must have blacked out or entered a rage blinding him to events... On Timorys 20th birthday a short 9 years after his fathers return the Gregor III would be placed on his current path. Timory had grown into a young ranger with great intuition as to the mountain life. having the odd distinction of being a mine ranger he had a gnomish intuition for ore. Before returning home for his birthday party he led a group of miners into a cavern with rich bloodstone deposits {unheard of this far south}. Unknown own to him this was a staging area for a drow raiding party. The drow unseen remained hidden. After a quick survey the mining party headed back to delvers-vale leading the drow back to their hold. That night after a raid on the surface elves in the area the surviving drow stopped on delvers for more bloodlust. A long night of drinking resulted in most of the dwarves being asleep when the drow attacked. Not on any specific mission simply sating their bloodlust the drow begin a quick skirmish a few hours before dawn. Gregor and his father and adoptive brother were asleep around the family hearth after a large meal and wishing the guests good night. A young drow seeing the family weapon glowing on the mantle sought to kill the dwarves with their own weapon. Although never before exhibiting anything of the like on this night the axe choose not to be wielded by anyone not of clan Foaminbeard. later the village healer would say the "Right hand of the Soulforger held the weapon at bay" though he never knew why he said such. The drow dropped the axe. With a clang it woke Gregor III. The drow was able to strike a crippling blow on Gregor I. Gregor II grappled with the drow over the axe and faced him in combat. He was outclassed in short order having never been exposed to the blade before. He did manage to strike the drow across the face taking one eye before being dropped by a hard blow to the neck by the Drows allies from behind. As he lay on the stone floor he saw his adoptive brother being taken by the Drow thru a portal in the floor as a slave. His last vision was of his fathers fathers axe in the firelight. A faint glow on the blade where the Drows blood was dripping on the floor. The next morning he faced the reality of his father being crippled, his brother gone and himself lost. He sold the only thing of real value the families mithril axe to priest of Sune whom thought the axe looked pretty since it was so shiny. He did cast a spell which was to heal the old dwarf now in a coma and left mentioning plans to have the axe melted down to make a mirror out of it. later that day, Gregor by his bed, his father awoke his wounds seemingly mended and looked at the young warrior asking one question. "Where be ye axe. How will ye care fer ye clan without ye axe" he then suddenly and without cause died. The young warrior heard only one thing as blackness took him again, the clanging on hammers on forges. That night, coming too, he left his home and ran into the forest beyond seeking to find the sunite or his trail and barter for the axes return. He had some small adventurers that week heading deeper and deeper into the mountains. which culminated in finding a cave atop a mountain peak. The priest had sought a smelter who could melt the axe and had eventually been directed to a stone giant whom would do the work. Gregor arrived at the cave to see the Sunite beyond buried under the crush of a boulder and the hill giant raising a giant smithy hammer to the axe on his forge. A explosion followed leaving the badly burned giant against the wall stunned and injured. Gregor went into the cave and after taking his first life he left his families axe gone/broken? and a strange amulet in its place { the amulet is a pair of crossed axes looking to be made of tarnished silver} he left with giants blood on his hands. looking down on his bloodied hands he said one thing. "Here be me axes Father. Pour me a ale when I arrive at the makers hall. till then I be filling Clangeddin's kegs with the blood of his enemies" he left pursuing the church of Clangeddin He returned home a week later battered and broken but with a deep understanding of himself and a uncanny wisdom gained thru experience. After setting his house aright he received a strange missive. A invitation to his father to attend a funeral in Cormyr for the Purple Dragon, King Azoun IV. He attended in his fathers stead paying his families respects but really not knowing why his father would have been invited. He spent his remaining time in Arabel earning enough coin to return home when he was drugged and awoke in Yulash. ---- outlook on life Gregor is very much shaped by the events above especially in his dealings with people. His families lessons have been to never ever judge a book till you read it. One of his favorite sayings is that folk are like cake either filled with sweet cream or bitter and dry in either case you will never know unless you take a bite. No amount of magical insight or simple talk will tell you. His grandfather was likely betrayed by a "good and trust worthy" moon elf His Priests of Sune are a good bunch helping those less fortunate. Beauty is not measured on the surface. His human brother was hard working and a better delver than most dwarves. His faith in Clangeddin is nearly absolute. Dwarves are hard people and face a hard life he is very much of the mind that Clangeddin set him on his path today and succeed or fail it will be Clangeddins wish he try. He always tempers his response to dark elves until he knows their character. Of course most of them are evil and any offering violence will be met with it. He wont wait and will strike first unless given cause not too. That being said, in non-combative roles he is open to learning more if able. His grandfather was known as Gregor of the Biting Axe His father known as gregor of the Dripping Blade He has taken to Gregor of the twin axes in the service to his god vices He will drink to excess on occasion. He is prone to being self depreciating especially after a failure. He does fall into unguarded states around his own kind. current goals -Establish a church to his lord, Unite non affiliated clans, find those who can lead his people and help them to become leaders. Find the story of his brother. Know what really happened to his grandfathers deal. Category:PC